1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an endoscope to be inserted in a body cavity or the like for performing an endoscopy or the like and an endoscopic system having the endoscope.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, endoscopes having an image pickup element built in an insert section are widely used for an inspection of a body cavity, a therapy with use of an endotherapy product, etc.
As an endoscope having such a built-in image pickup element and a flexible insert section, there is known one including a light guide for transmitting illumination light from an operation section provided on a rear end of the insert section and a universal cable through which a signal line connected to the image pickup element is inserted.
Regarding an endoscope of this type, such an endoscope is also known in which by providing to the operation section operation buttons, switches, or the like for performing various control operations, various controls can be performed by the operation section.
However, with the above-mentioned endoscopes, although the various controls can be performed by providing a large number of operations buttons, switches, etc., it is accordingly necessary to insert many signal lines through the universal cable. Thus, the thickness of the universal cable is increased, and this thick universal cable may disturb the operations.
In addition, when the endoscope is provided with numerous various functions, it is necessary to insert signal lines corresponding to the varying functions through the universal cable. Thus, problems arise in that extension is difficult and the production cost is raised.
Meanwhile, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-369789, an endoscope having such a structure that a universal cable through which a light guide for transmitting illumination light is inserted is set detachably connected, and an optical cable is inserted together with this light guide, whereby an image pickup signal or the like captured by an image pickup element is transmitted to a signal processing device outside the endoscope. However, a function of supplying a fluid through a duct line, such as an air water process, cannot be realized, so there is a problem of significantly decreasing an observation function, and the like.
Also, in general, an endoscope including a flexible insert section is provided with a bending section at a distal end of the insert section for allowing insertion into a bending body or the like and observation in a desired direction, and a bending operation section in the operation section at hand side for performing a bending operation (articulation operation) on the bending section.
By bending the bending section in this way, it becomes easier to insert the insert section in a bending body cavity. Then, in order to improve the insertability, it is convenient if a state where the bending section is pressed against an inner wall or the like can be detected. In this case, the bending section may include an electric pressure-sensitive sensor. The endoscope always needs an illumination section, if a part of the illumination light can be used, this becomes an extremely useful application method.
In an electronic endoscope of Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 7-124104, a pressure-sensitive sensor composed of a warpage gauge for detecting a pressure is provided at a bending section, and a bending operation by a bending operation section is regulated on the basis of an output of this pressure-sensitive sensor.
According to the example of Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 7-124104, the pressure detection is electrically performed, and therefore the above-mentioned illumination light is not effectively used.
An endoscope for a medical field is especially used by being inserted in a body cavity for the purpose of inspection and therapy, and thus the endoscope needs to be cleaned and disinfected. When the endoscope is cleaned and disinfected, an endoscope washer is used. The endoscope is set in a cleaning tank of the endoscope washer, for cleaning, disinfection, rinsing, and draining.
In addition, the endoscope accommodates a plurality of duct lines including an air water duct line and a biopsy port. A cleaning solution and a disinfectant solution need sufficiently pass through these duct lines, and cleaning, disinfection, and the like need to be reliably performed for the duct lines.
An endoscope washer for detecting whether or not cleaning and disinfection are appropriately performed for the various duct lines provided inside the endoscope is proposed, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-299697.
However, in the endoscope washer disclosed in the above-mentioned publication, whether or not the duct lines in the endoscope are appropriately subjected to cleaning and the like is determined on the basis of a flow amount value detected by a flow amount sensor provided to the endoscope washer. As the sensor for detecting the contamination is provided to the endoscope washer, the contamination inside the endoscope can be detected only when cleaning and the like are conducted.